DR MARY Adams qualified at the University of Cork medical school, then worked at Sunderland Royal Infirmary before becoming a Registrar at Burnley District General.

Then, with a group of medical friends, she went to work in Queensland, Australia for two years.

And she must have been good at the snake and spider bites, because she was named the hospital's Registrar of the Year.

"That was really a very nice thing. We had a great time out there, it was good fun. Then when I came back to this country, I was asked by several people whether I had considered becoming a private GP. A lot of my patients are parents whose grown-up children pay for them to be seen privately at home rather than going in to a surgery."

But she stresses that's no reflection on the quality of the NHS service, and that her own service dove-tails with the NHS.

"There are lots of reasons for people choosing to go to a private GP. It's often more to do with the convenience. It also ensures that they always see the same person - which is not always possible in a busy general practice.

"Many female patients also don't want to be seen by male doctors, and this way can be sure they see a female doctor," she says.

Bookings

Many patients are busy people who simply don't have the time to try and get an appointment at their local GP surgery. They prefer to book time with a private doctor, so they know exactly when their consultation will take place, and they can also be seen out of hours and at home, she said.

Mary Adams set up her first practice in Clitheroe, and later took consulting rooms in Bolton, to cater for professionals, and the launch of the Manchester practice was the next logical extension.

With three consulting rooms to oversee and her home visits, Dr Adams really does "fly" around the region, though as yet she has not had to jet off to attend to her overseas clients - they always come to see her.

Growing numbers of GPs are retiring or leaving the profession early because of increasing levels of stress.

But though she works a long day, she says at least she is able to manage to take proper breaks and pace herself.

"I love what I do, I would not want to do anything else. But this way, my patients get to see me when they want to, and it is satisfying for me too. It gets back to the original whole point of being a doctor, which is to ease suffering, and treat the whole person. I have time to that, and to do it properly," she said.